DOUBLE-PILLAR FRENCH COMPOUND MICROSCOPE

MAKER: Unknown

c. last third of 19th C.

DESCRIPTION:This microscope, of French manufacture is unusual in having the stage suspended between two pillars, of which one contains the rack and pinion focusing mechanism. The coarse focus is push-pull. Turning the fine focus knob raises and lowers the blackened stage. There is a small gimbaled substage mirror A bullseye condenser for illuminating opaque objects is attached to the tube support. The original box contains the original accessories which include three objectives, some slides and a glass disk with central depression. The microscope is supported on a lead-filled round foot. Other examples are know which instead screw into a boss on the case. The condition of this microscope is fine with some spotting of the lacquer on the bottom of the tube support. The optics are intact. The rack and pinion work well.

HISTORY AND INFORMATION ABOUT THIS MICROSCOPE:The constructional details are very similar to other French microscopes in this and other collections. This includes the in-pillar focusing mechanism, and the design and support of the mirror. There are both simple and compound microscopes in this collection with these features constructed the same way. Although many examples of these microscopes are known, the maker is, at the time of this writing(2017) unknown. Of all the similarly made microscopes, this model may be the most unique type. The dating of the microscope is based on an educated guess by myself and other knowledgeable collectors, but is by no means exact or even certain.